The Truth About Us

The woman placed a hand over her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I—”

“You didn’t win. None of us did,” her grandfather said. When he turned, he headed for the exit, their desserts forgotten.

Abby’s mouth opened. “Uh, I’m sorry. He doesn’t like to talk about it,” she said to the woman whose eyes filled with tears.

Running after him, she waited until the door closed behind them, then yelled, “What was that about?”

Her grandfather turned on shaking legs. He tucked his arm into his side like he was trying to hide the numbers etched into his skin, and Abby’s heart went out to him.

She stepped closer, her throat tight with emotion. “Grandpa, she was just trying to be nice. She was happy. It’s okay to be happy you made it.”

He said nothing, his gaze focused on the ground.

“Can we please go back inside? Play another game?” Abby asked.

When he finally looked at her again, he nodded. “No more talking about...” His voice caught, unable to finish his thought.

Abby nodded in response and they made their way back inside to their game in the back. A bit later, another café worker, brought their desserts to the table. They ate them in silence as they played. This time Abby focused, determined to beat him and lighten the mood.

“Checkmate,” she announced, smiling.

Her gaze flickered to the counter at the front of the shop, unable to erase the prickly feeling of being watched, but the barista who served them was no longer there. By the time they left, the incident had been forgotten, and it wasn’t until they were almost home that Abby realized the source of the feeling. The man on the sofa, the one that sat down before they started their second game, she had seen him before.

The day she skipped school with Kaden, the man had been there reading the paper, but even then, she remembered the way she had caught his gaze on her more than once. Even then, she had felt like she was being watched.

But it was probably a coincidence. Wasn’t it? Regulars flocked to Daily Grind. Someone could easily say the same thing about Abby. But Kaden’s words floated through her head, once again, about there being no such thing as a coincidence. She couldn’t shake the feeling he was right.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Abby flopped back in her bed and picked up her cell phone for the millionth time. Out of habit, she checked the screen hoping for a call or text from Kaden before remembering he had no phone. It was almost six o’clock Sunday, and she still hadn’t heard from him.

Ugh. What kind of eighteen-year-old didn’t own a cell phone?

On a whim, she opened her messages and clicked on Cammie in her contacts, then typed before she could think better of it.

Abby: Hey, I have a problem. I was hoping for some advice?

Abby bit her lips as she pushed send, hoping Cammie was around. She had little experience in this area, and she needed help from someone who did.

Cammie: What’s up?

Relief washed over her.

Abby: Friday night, when I took Kaden home, his dad was waiting for him. He found out Kaden snuck out, but to make matters worse, his sister was sick, and his dad had to take her to the hospital.

Cammie: Uh-oh. Hope she’s alright.

Abby: Me too. The thing is, I haven’t heard from him. I’m afraid he’s mad at me for making him go out.

Nothing. Abby waited, continuously refreshing her screen. Why wasn’t she answering? Did she agree that he was probably mad?

Cammie: Hold on a minute. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

Huh?

Cammie: Are you, Abby Bridges, asking me for boy advice? OMG. It just got real.

Abby scowled at her phone and jabbed at her keyboard.